


Bananas

by bigblueboxat221b



Series: How Does Your Marriage Work? [21]
Category: Come From Away - Sankoff & Hein
Genre: Allergic reaction, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, In Gander, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-07 18:47:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21462790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigblueboxat221b/pseuds/bigblueboxat221b
Summary: In the confusion of the new shelter, Diane ends up eating banana cake. Not good, but at least she has Nick there to help.
Relationships: Nick/Diane
Series: How Does Your Marriage Work? [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1499912
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	Bananas

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is not RPF  
While Nick and Diane in the musical are based on real people, this story is set strictly in the fictional representation of them in the musical, ‘Come From Away’. I haven’t done any research into their personal lives, and anything further than what is canon in the musical is completely made up, with the exception of some geographical details. This is not intended to represent the real life couple in any way, their thoughts, attitudes or actions. It’s just my brain saying, ‘what if?’, as it does to every story that resonates with me.

Diane frowned, chewing the mouthful of cake she’d just taken. It tasted strange. Something she wasn’t quite familiar with, something…unusual.

“What did you say was in this?” she asked Nick.

“Er, I think she said it was apple?” Nick replied.

“It doesn’t taste like apple,” Diane said. She could feel something odd happening to her mouth, and she passed the cake to Nick. “What does it taste like?”

Nick frowned at her, breaking off a piece and putting it into his mouth. He chewed, concentrating, before his brow cleared.

“It’s-” he started, then his eyes went wide. “Bananas,” he said. “Diane, it tastes like bananas.”

“I can’t have bananas,” Diane said automatically. No wonder she didn’t recognise it – she hadn’t eaten bananas in years, for so long she couldn’t even recognise the flavour. Her face was hot and she realised she was scratching at her arm, the itch suddenly flaring across her skin as she recognised what it was. “I can’t have bananas.”

“I know,” Nick said. “What do you need?” he asked, his face anxious. “Do you have medication? Should I find a doctor?”

Diane was already fumbling through her bag. “I have some medication. But it’s been a long time, and it could get worse, I don’t know…” her hands were shaking, and she dropped the packet. Before she could reach down and pick it up, Nick was there.

“Water?” he asked, and she nodded. He popped out one pill, then another when she raised two fingers; handing her the pills and her water, he watched her swallow them.

“I’ll find someone,” he said.

She nodded, fear welling tears in her eyes. “Don’t go,” she whispered.

“Okay,” he said, taking her hand. He waved at a passing woman. “We need a doctor,” he said seriously. “She’s allergic to bananas, and we didn’t realise they were in this.”

Her eyes widened and she nodded. “I’ll find someone.” She hurried off and Nick turned back to Diane, his eyes full of concern.

“What happens now?”

“It’s been a long time since it’s happened,” she said, resisting the urge to scratch at the itch as it flared along her arms. “When I was a child my parents told me how dangerous it could be…that it could get a lot worse very fast. The last time was years ago...” she felt her face heat and wondered how much of it was embarrassment and how much the effect of the bananas. “I was really itchy and my face was all tingly and swollen.”

Nick nodded. “The tablets help?”

“I think so,” Diane said. “They should, anyway.”

She was gripping Nick’s hand, she could feel, and he was staying blessedly close. She concentrated on her breathing, the images the paediatrician had shown her so many years ago coming flooding back. She remembered the horror she’d felt, and the fear in her doubled at the possibility of her symptoms worsening.

“I think this is the doctor,” Nick murmured.

Diane opened her eyes. A woman was bending down, then taking the seat opposite her. “Hi, I’m Bernadette,” she said, her lyrical Caribbean accent warming her name. “Are you having an allergic reaction?”

Diane nodded. “Bananas,” she whispered. “I shouldn’t have eaten it, I thought-”

Nick cut her off. “We thought we knew what was in it,” he said, partly for Diane and partly for the doctor.

Bernadette winced. “Yes, it’s going to be more difficult here,” she said. “You’ll have to be especially careful about what you’re eating and how it’s prepared. Now I can see you’re breathing alright, and you can talk normally?”

Diane nodded.

“She’s taken two of these,” Nick said, handing the packet to the doctor.

“And is this a normal reaction for you?” she asked, glancing at the packet.

“It’s been years,” Diane said, tears threatening again. “I don’t…I didn’t know if it would get worse.” The tears welled over, spilling down her cheeks.

Nick spoke, taking Diane’s hand again, and she accepted it grateful for the support. “Some scaremongering as a child, I think,” Nick explained. “We thought it best to find some medical help, just in case.”

“Of course,” Bernadette replied with a smile. “Always the best course of action.” She looked at Diane. “If you don’t mind, I’ll just have a look at your throat, and take some observations. It doesn’t look too severe, though that can change of course. How much did you eat?”

“Just one bite,” Diane told her as she rooted through her bag for equipment. She complied as the doctor asked her to open her mouth, peering in with a small torch.

“Well, your throat doesn’t look swollen,” she said. “Maybe your tongue a little. What about your face?”

“Tingling,” Diane admitted. “And it feels a little tight.”

“She’s itchy, too,” Nick added.

“Well, I want to keep an eye on that,” she said, “your face in particular.”

She took some more observations, making notes on a sheet of notebook paper, which she tore out and gave to Diane. “It’s not perfect, but I want you to keep this in case you need more medical attention. I’ll be in room seven, and there’s a first aid station over there. I want you to take two more of these tablets in a few hours. They’ll make you drowsy, probably, and you can sleep if you want. But if your breathing gets worse, or you feel your tongue or throat start to swell get over to first aid immediately and they’ll come and get me.”

Diane nodded, relief slowly swirling through her. She felt a little strange already, and wondered if that was the effect of the drugs, or the allergic reaction, or maybe the whole situation. Whatever it was, things weren’t quite usual.

When the doctor finally left she sat back, and as the relief took over, she started to shake, fresh tears spilling over again. Her hands were twisting together, and she took a deep breath. Trying to calm herself, she pressed her palms into her knees to keep her hands still.

“The doctor doesn’t sound too worried right now,” Nick said, obviously trying to allay her fears. “And we have a plan now.” He smiled and glanced down, hesitating before placing his hand over hers again. “I can stay as long as you want.”

Diane breathed in again, forcing herself to hold it, to calm herself a little before she answered Nick. “Yes please,” she whispered. She turned her hand over to take his, grateful for the comfort of having him close. “I can’t believe I ate that.”

“You weren’t to know,” Nick replied, picking his chair up to sit closer to her. “I think the woman said it was apple, but I’m sure she didn’t say bananas. I wouldn’t have taken it if she’d said that.”

Diane nodded. “You remembered,” she said. The throwaway comment on the planes, and she didn’t even think Nick had heard her. Not only had he heard, it was important enough to remember.

Nick grinned, a little self-conscious. “You were being kind,” he said, “after I’d made that awful joke about my medication.”

“We’re all under stress here,” Diane reassured him. She winced as the itching flared for a moment, clenching Nicks’ hand to stop herself scratching.

“Itchy?” Nick asked sympathetically.

“Yes,” Diane said. “I think it’s less, but it flares every now and again.” She swallowed experimentally. “I think the tablets are starting to work.” She blinked at him, noticing how he seemed cycle slowly between being far away and being very close. “I think they’re making me a bit…strange.”

“Strange?” Nick asked, alarm in his voice.

“Not bad,” Diane said, squeezing his hand. “Just…strange. I haven’t taken them in a long time.”

“Okay,” Nick replied.

“And a bit sleepy, maybe,” Diane added. She wiped at her eyes, conscious that her makeup was probably smeared down her face by now.

“Do you want to find somewhere more comfortable?” Nick asked. “In case you want to sleep.”

“Yes please,” Diane whispered.

They settled together on a sofa Nick spotted, and Diane relaxed properly for the first time since Nick had looked at her and said ‘bananas.’ Her face was less tight, and the tingle wasn’t any more severe than it had been; it seemed her fear of the reaction getting worse was unfounded.

“You said scaremongering,” Diane said drowsily. She could feel Nick’s body against the length of hers, their hands still joined, shoulders and hips and knees sitting next to each other, sharing body heat and comfort in equal measures.

She could see Nick nodding in her peripheral vision, and she waited for him to speak. “I hope I didn’t overstep,” he said carefully. “From what you said, it sounded like the information you were given was designed to frighten you into avoiding bananas.”

“It was,” Diane replied.

“I wasn’t sure how you were going to respond,” Nick murmured. “I apologise.”

“It’s fine,” Diane said. “Thank you.”

They sat quietly for a while, Diane sure she dozed but very aware of Nick’s presence throughout. His thumb passed back and forth along her hand, marking the passage of time in slow, even sweeps, and it wasn’t until he shifted that she lifted out of her doze.

“What time is it?” she murmured.

“Late,” Nick replied. He said uncomfortably, “I’m sorry, I need to just find the bathroom.”

“Sure,” Diane replied immediately.

“You could take another dose of those pills now,” Nick told her. “And maybe get some rest, the doctor said.”

“Yes,” she replied. “I’ll wait here.”

Nick stood and left, and she waited, taking another pair of pills while she did. She definitely felt better; the tingling in her face was gone, and her skin felt normal again. She scratched absently at her arm, realising it was practically back to normal too, and closed her eyes in relief. It was working, then, and she didn’t have to worry.

And Nick had helped her.

He returned, and she smiled at him.

“There appears to be space for us in the furthest classroom,” he said.

“Great,” she replied, easing herself up off the sofa.

“How are you doing?” Nick asked as they walked slowly. The shelter was much quieter than she remembered, most of the lights off and people resting as best they could.

“Much better,” Diane said. “Thank you. You’ve been a great comfort.”

Nick flushed with pleasure at the compliment. “Of course,” he replied.

They found the room, the floor covered with gym mats. Most had people resting on them, but some bore a neat pile of bedding at one end, waiting for occupants.

“Okay,” Diane said, and they glanced self-consciously at each other, realising they would essentially be sleeping next to each other on the wide gym mats. “Let’s go over there.” She pointed in a random direction, and Nick followed until they found a space.

Shoes off was as much as they could really get comfortable in this room full of strangers sleeping together on the floor; as they sorted the pillows and blankets, it felt oddly intimate to be sharing such personal moments with someone she barely knew.

When they were settled in the dim light, Diane turned to face Nick. He blinked at her, and she wondered how much he could see without his glasses on. They were quite close; she wondered if that was so he could see her or...

“When do you think the planes will start going again?” she asked him, the words whispered across the small space.

“I don’t know,” Nick replied. “It appears the Americans won’t reopen the airspace until they are ready.”

She hummed in response.

“So we’re stuck here until they do,” Nick concluded.

“Yes,” Diane replied. For some reason that wasn’t as daunting a prospect as it had been when they first got off the planes. “Maybe we could go for a walk tomorrow, see where we are.”

“Certainly,” Nick said. He hesitated, then said carefully, “You’ll need someone to protect you from hidden bananas.”

Diane froze for a second, unsure if he was joking, before realising he probably was. She relaxed, then smiled at him, reaching out to take his hand in the space between their bodies. “I will,” she said. “I might have to just survive on coffee and donuts until we leave.”

“That would be terrible,” Nick murmured, his fingers curling around hers. “I could keep you company, if you wanted.”  
“Yes please,” Diane replied, and she felt warmth blossom in her at his tentative smile.

What an end to her European holiday, she thought drowsily. And yet, it felt more like a beginning.


End file.
